2011 Santa Cruz Blur TRc Build

Jim Junkie

Used to sell drugs, now he just takes them
So, I've had this a little bit now and finally got it most of the way to where I want it. The biggest outstanding item is the bars which are a bit too narrow for my liking at the moment, having cut them down a long time ago to a bit over 600mm.

Frame - Santa Cruz Blur TRc - large
Rear shock - Fox RP23 Kashima Coat
Front shock/fork - Rockshox Revelation Dual Air WC XX w/poploc
Handlebars - Syncros Bulk O/S 690mm, 7075 Alloy 9deg, 40mm rise
Stem - Thomson Elite X4, 70mm, 0deg, 31.8mm clamp, Black
Headset - Cane Creek 110
Grips - Lizard Skins lock-on
Saddle - Tioga Nicolas Vouilloz Titanium Rail (2001)
Seatpost - Rockshox Reverb 125mm drop
Front brake - Shimano Saint M810, RT-76 185mm
Rear brake - Shimano Saint M810, RT-76 185mm
Cranks - SLX w/ Raceface NW 32T
Chain - Shimano HG95
Pedals - Shimano Saint flats
Rear derailleur - Shimano Zee M640 shadow+
Rear shifter - Shimano Zee
Cassette - Shimano XT M771 10sp
Front & Rear Wheel - DT Swiss Tricon XM1550
Tyres - Highroller II 2.35" rear, Hans Dampf TS 2.35" front
Tubes - Tubeless
Total weight -11.9kg

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The saddle is just something that's followed me through the last 3 bikes and won't die. It does the trick and it's comfortable, so it's stayed. It did come off for a good few years when I put something else on, but when that died I just put the original back on the bike. It is starting to show its age though, so it's days are probably numbered.

Coming from my previous bike, an '05 Reign 1, this thing goes like a bat out of hell & I'm loving it!
 

moorey

call me Mia
I find that weight a little hard to believe. What wasn't on the bike when you weighed it? *saint brakes, high roller/Hans Damf, reverb.

Very nice bike, either way, old bean :thumb:
 

Jim Junkie

Used to sell drugs, now he just takes them
I find that weight a little hard to believe. What wasn't on the bike when you weighed it? *saint brakes, high roller/Hans Damf, reverb.

Very nice bike, either way, old bean :thumb:
Yeah, I was a bit surprised when I weighed it, so I made sure I weighed it a few different ways to be sure. It was all there, trail ready when I weighed it, minus the coating of dust in the picture. Can't say the same for the rider though, that fat bastard.
 

moorey

call me Mia
Yeah, I was a bit surprised when I weighed it, so I made sure I weighed it a few different ways to be sure. It was all there, trail ready when I weighed it, minus the coating of dust in the picture. Can't say the same for the rider though, that fat bastard.
Ever considered your scales are out? :noidea:
 

Quintin

Eats Squid
Ever considered your scales are out? :noidea:
its hard to believe but my brother has a Solo that came in at 11.8 on my scales while my carbine came in at 12.7. there is only 200g difference in the frames and he doesnt run anything special apart from having whimpy stans rims and tubeless 2.25 nobby nics - i guess thats where he got it.

nice ride - u can 650b that thing too
 

Jim Junkie

Used to sell drugs, now he just takes them
Ever considered your scales are out? :noidea:
First thing I thought, but I checked them on stock weights & even double checked with a second set of (less accurate) scales, definitely right around the 12 mark. My guess is it comes from having pretty light right & ditching the front gearing. I expected the reverb to push it over the 12kg mark, but I ditched the chain guide at the same time & shortened up the rear derailleur cables when I switched to 1x10.
 

moorey

call me Mia
First thing I thought, but I checked them on stock weights & even double checked with a second set of (less accurate) scales, definitely right around the 12 mark. My guess is it comes from having pretty light right & ditching the front gearing. I expected the reverb to push it over the 12kg mark, but I ditched the chain guide at the same time & shortened up the rear derailleur cables when I switched to 1x10.
There ya go then. I just built up a bike for my lad. Small short travel 7057 alu frame, light 1x9 drivetrain, 1600g wheelset, sub 500g tyres, light 165mm cranks, 100mm long seat post, and its not much lighter than yours. I EXPECTED it to be about a KG lighter than it is, but weights ALWAYS blow out.
Ride on, Cobs :thumb:
 

99_FGT

Likes Bikes and Dirt
That frame, those forks and those wheels are all light.
You haven't skimped on the build there, looks like it should be quick! Even with the fat bastard on top!
 

Jim Junkie

Used to sell drugs, now he just takes them
Well, it's been a while and the Blur's undergone some updates. Some optional, some not so much.

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So the biggest change was to replace the wheels. The DT Swiss XM1550's were light, but not wide enough for my liking and I could feel the tire squirming around on it. Put together some Stans ZTR Flow-Ex rims paired with XT hubs (on a budget, sale of the XM1550's had to cover it). Eventually I may get around to re-lacing them with some Hope's or something, but that's a way off yet.

Rotors got replaced so I could use the old ones on the Reign build, now 185mm rear and 203mm front centrelocks, to match the hubs.

Zee's for the front cranks now, after I destroyed the SLX's at Thredbo in April. The front ring got an upsize to 34T as I had one around. The pedals took a beating but still spin well, so they stayed.

Bars replaced with some Renthal Fatbar lite's, 740mm. That was a nice change, feels much better now.

Charge Spoon for the saddle, as the old one finally gave up on me and let the upholstery go.

Tires replaced after wearing down the old ones. Now a Minion II 2.3" on the front (3C) and a High Roller II TR Exo 2.3" on the rear.

No idea what the weight is now, not particularly fussed as it's running beautifully at the moment. Absolute cracker of a bike, a joy to ride.
 
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99_FGT

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Glad it has realised it's potential... Can't blame you on the wheel upgrade, I loved them but did find them a tad squirrelly.
 

Jim Junkie

Used to sell drugs, now he just takes them
Glad it has realised it's potential... Can't blame you on the wheel upgrade, I loved them but did find them a tad squirrelly.
Yeah, they were very nice wheels, just not quite up to the abuse I was throwing at them. The wheels have been a point of focus again though - hubs replaced with Hope Pro 2 Evo's, front and back. Fresh spokes to go all black (rather than the somewhat agricultural 50/50 mix before).

Add to that the helmet replacement / upgrade to a Bell Super 2R following a crash which ruined the old one, and I'm ready to go attack some trails again.IMG_0012 (2)-min.jpg
 

foxpuppet

Eats Squid
Well, it's been a while and the Blur's undergone some updates. Some optional, some not so much.

View attachment 316573
View attachment 316574

Put together some Stans ZTR Flow-Ex rims paired with XT hubs (on a budget, sale of the XM1550's had to cover it). Eventually I may get around to re-lacing them with some Hope's or something, but that's a way off yet.
hubs replaced with Hope Pro 2 Evo's, front and back. Fresh spokes to go all black
Nice to see that 'a ways off' moved up in the schedule!
 

rtd

Likes Dirt
Awesome bike, I love mine. Running the same bar and stem as you, in the same frame size, and I find it excellent.

How are you going with linkage noises? I've tried to quieten mine down by touching up the grease nipples with the grease gun but it is still quite noisy. Might give it a really good go with the grease next. Is a bit of an annoyance on standing climbs.
 

Jim Junkie

Used to sell drugs, now he just takes them
Nice to see that 'a ways off' moved up in the schedule!
Hahaha, yeah. I had an issue with the freehub jamming up on the rear, so I figured I'd just fix it properly now and do both at the same time. It was one of the last things on my list that I wasn't 100% happy with, so I didn't take much convincing.

Awesome bike, I love mine. Running the same bar and stem as you, in the same frame size, and I find it excellent.

How are you going with linkage noises? I've tried to quieten mine down by touching up the grease nipples with the grease gun but it is still quite noisy. Might give it a really good go with the grease next. Is a bit of an annoyance on standing climbs.
Couldn't agree more, I love the bike. I haven't even noticed any linkage noises yet, it seems to be dead silent. I'll keep an ear out next time I ride. All I've been doing is a semi-regular grease application through the ports on the BB, seems to be doing the trick.
 

Jim Junkie

Used to sell drugs, now he just takes them
I think I have achieved Nirvana...

Two more changes;
Rear axle to a 10mm bolt, just to make it sit a bit more consistently for the brakes. Worked a treat, no more rub.
And
Rear shock replaced with a RS Monarch+ RC3 Debonair

That shock is the dogs bollocks. I don't know what I expected, but the feel of that thing is just night & day compared to the RP23 that used to be there. It could be some of it's in my head, but I don't care, it feels great.

Unfortunately it started raining on the first ride out with it today, so I only got 12km in before having to pack it in. I'll be back next week though, no way I'm letting this bike sit in the garage. Next up is to give it some love; trim the cables, bleed the brakes & dropper and adjust the cockpit a bit so that dropper is a bit easier to get to.

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